The first step in caring for your orchid is knowing whether it is a phalaenopsis, dendrobium, vanda, cattleya, oncidium, paphiopedilum or cymbidium. Most people who have just a few orchids will have a Phalaenopsis. (Jun 09)

Pick up a plant label from one of your plants. Most likely, the name will consist of at least two words. The first word is the name of the genus (think of it as a person's last name e.g., Smith). (Sep 09)

There is no right or wrong way to collect orchids, but there are some things to consider that will give you the most bang for the buck. And some guidelines for selecting plants that may keep you from wasting your money.
(Feb 11)

The importance of water, light, temperature, fertilizer and potting for growing phalaenopsis, or Moth Orchids, the most popular orchid for the home. Click here if you are not sure of what kind of orchid you have. (Jul 09)

Today is the first day of spring and for orchid growers, that means our orchids will be commencing their annual growth cycle soon. The most important task we associate with spring is repotting our plants. (Mar 12)

The number one reason that orchids don't rebloom is that they're not getting enough light. Here are some quick ways to check your light levels, and the SAOS has a light meter for you to be sure! (Nov 09)

Pseudobulbs on orchids like cattleyas store energy & water and prefer a wet dry cycle. Fleshy leaved orchids like phalaenopsis only have their fleshy leaves so they prefer to be more evenly moist. (Feb 10)

Heating and air conditioning both dry the air significantly, try adding humidity trays or a humidifier. Orchids adore constantly moving fresh air, crack open a window and add fans to keep air moving. (May 10)

Although phalaenopsis may be responsible for the current popularity of orchids as house plants, for many people, the image of an orchid flower is a Cattleya, such as Cattleya schroderae pictured at left. (Jun 11)

While phalaenopsis are elegant and cattleyas are flamboyant, oncidiums are fun. Oncidiums come in many forms and, as a result, go by various nicknames: Spider Orchids, Pansy Orchids, Dancing Ladies. (Aug 11)

Based on past experience we have come to expect an outbreak of black rot under these type of wet, humid conditions. Pythium ultimum (and/or Phytophthora cactorum) is ruthless and can destroy a collection. (Jun 12)

The most commonly encountered insect pests...aphids cause damage to plants by sucking fluids from them... mealybugs are closely related to scale and feed on plant juices... thrips are the most insidious. (Aug 10)

Colonies of scale can become entrenched at the base of a pseudobulb or under sheaths. You may not notice until the pests have done their damage. While scale can be found on flat surfaces of leaves, the worst damage is done at the base of pseudobulbs. (Sep 10)

Unless you have really good eyesight and a strong magnifying lens, you may never even see a spider mite. The first thing that will alert is the silvery stippling on the underside of orchid leaves. (Oct 10)

Slugs and snails feed mainly at night, or on dark days. Their damage is easy to spot. If you find irregular holes with smooth edges in leaves and flowers you should suspect slugs or snails as the culprit. (Dec 10)

While weeds will grow quickly on their own, they can be even more vigorous if you fertilize your orchids regularly as you ought to. Eventually the weed roots can completely fill a pot and use up all of the water and nutrients intended for your orchid. (Mar 11)

Fluctuating temperatures and changing light levels are reducing the amount of water and fertilizer your plants require. Phalaenopsis are spiking so stake the spikes for best flower presentation. (Dec 09)